The Mary Janes we’re shopping for every occasion

The Mary Jane is a shoe that has transcended both time and trends, its legacy beginning in the early 1900s when The Brown Shoe Company, a Missouri-based manufacturer, began marketing it as a formal footwear option for young children. Named after the beloved cartoon character “Little Mary Jane,” the shoe quickly became associated with innocence and charm. Over the years, however, it has evolved from a practical choice for schoolchildren and churchgoers into one of the chicest current-day footwear options.

While the Mary Jane’s roots are in youth fashion, it has long since shed its original associations with childhood, becoming a versatile and sophisticated piece in the RUSSH team’s wardrobes. The shoe’s refined, feminine silhouette, complete with its signature strap across the foot, has earned it a permanent spot in both high fashion and everyday wardrobes. In recent years, luxury houses like Chanel, Gucci, and Prada have adopted the Mary Jane, bringing it to their runways and into the heart of the trend cycle. With the return of girlhood in 2023 where bows and pastels took centre stage for a hot minute; and balletcore a consistent favourite, it’s no surprise the Mary Jane is on our minds right now. This isn’t to say that Mary Janes have not held a permanent seat in the trend cycle for mere decades, but that similarly to the ballet flat and the penny loafer, they’re dipped their shiny toes back into the mainstream once more.

In honour of the iconic shoe, we’re rounding up our favourite Mary Janes of the season, below. From classic iterations via Chanel to those with a cult following like Maison Margiela’s Tabi shoe to Ms. Prada who has been doling out iconic pumps for as long as we can remember…

1. CHANEL Mary Janes

2. MAISON MARGIELA Tabi Mary Janes

3. PRADA Velvet Pumps

4. SANDY LIANG Mary Jane Pointe Shoe

5. THE ROW Boheme leather Mary Jane ballet flats

6. PROENZA SCHOULER Mary Jane lug-sole shoes

7. SUZANNE RAE Mary Janes

8. COS Buckled Ballet Flats

9. CAREL PARIS Kina in Red

10. MIU MIU Leather Ballerinas

11. BOTTEGA VENETA Taupe Astaire Mary-Jane Ballerina Flats

12. CHARLES & KEITH Mesh Platform Mary Jane Sneakers

13. REFORMATION Bethany Ballet Flat

14. GANNI White Cleated Mary Jane Shoes

15. MANSUR GAVRIEL Dance Mary Jane

16. AEYDE Mary Janes

17. ALAÏA Embellished Mary Janes

18. ALIAS MAE Pip Mary Janes

If you’re looking for something more comfortable in the cooler weather, our round up of the best designer sneakers so far in 2024 will add to your life. Otherwise, if you’re interested in what footwear the team at RUSSH are wearing this chilly season, look no further because we’ve covered that as well. Happy shopping.